Former Hope Valley junior Paul Puopolo set for tomorrow’s AFL grand final with Hawthorn

HAWTHORN pocket rocket Paul Puopolo is eyeing redemption at the MCG tomorrow for a 2012 season he does not look back on all that fondly.

HAWTHORN pocket rocket Paul Puopolo is eyeing redemption at the MCG tomorrow for a 2012 season he does not look back on all that fondly.

That year – Puopolo’s second in the AFL after being drafted with pick No. 66 from Norwood – ended in a heartbreaking 10-point grand final loss to Sydney.

There was also pain off the field for Puopolo, whose mum Gina was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Puopolo, 26, and the Hawks are eyeing back-to-back premierships as they prepare for another crack at the Swans after a grinding four-point preliminary final triumph over Port Adelaide last weekend.

“There’s adversity in life and you’re not going to get everything going your way,” Puopolo said.

“Mum had two operations throughout the year and at the end of the year she started picking up a bit.

“It’s something I learnt and I’m probably a little bit more resilient now.

“(The losing grand final) was a big driving force in 2013 and obviously this year we’ve got the driving force of going back-to-back, something that’s pretty hard to achieve.

“Sydney a strong side this year and they’re going to be a tough team to beat.

“They have very dangerous forwards and it’ll be a good test for our backline.”

Puopolo said the Hawks had mixed emotions at the final siren last weekend after coughing up a four-goal lead and narrowly getting over the line as Port finished the game strongly.

“Obviously we’re going through to a grand final and we’re relieved but we were a little bit disappointed in our efforts,” said Puopolo, a Hope Valley and Payneham Norwood Union junior.

“They had the ball in their half for most of the first quarter and we were lucky they scored as many points as they did.

“We didn’t finish off the way we wanted to.”

Puopolo’s parents were at the MCG to celebrate his premiership success last year.

“It was a pretty emotional moment.”

His mum, dad Frank and girlfriend Carmel have also moved to Melbourne, helping him feel more at home in the city.

“I’m close to my parents and obviously I wanted to be over there to support them (after his mum was diagnosed), but in the end they wanted me to be here and keep going with my career.

“Mum’s doing very well now.

“It’s been good to have them over here.

“We go there for a dinner or two and mum gives us stuff to take home.

“She does everything – traditional sausages, our homemade sauces and she makes fresh pasta for us.”

After being overlooked for five national drafts, Puopolo is grateful for his opportunity and doesn’t plan to let it slip.

“I pinch myself a little bit.

“I was pretty excited when I was at Norwood in my first grand final (in 2010) and I didn’t expect to be playing in three AFL grand finals.

“But I didn’t want to be one of those players who just comes here for a couple of years, I wanted to have an impact.”